Somaliland: APD Facilitates Odanle Reconciliation Conference

Somalilandsun – Elders from Habar Jeclo and Dhulbahante communities in Qori-Lugud and Buhodle districts have come together in a grand reconciliation conference in Odanle village, bringing to an end a bitter inter-clan conflict over land ownership.

The month-long conference held in the outskirts of Odanle village was attended by 400 delegates from Habar Jeclo and Dhulbahante clans with the aim of bringing to and end their bloody feud that claimed lives and spawned anxiety among themselves in Buhodle and Qori-Lugud districts in Togdher region.The conference which was free from political influence, focused on the problems in the region which include:

1. Boundary disputes between the two clans2. The killings between the two communities3. Movement and co – residence of the two communities living togetherUpon the conclusion of the conference the two sides agreed upon the following points:-Blood Money Agreement:1. The two clans agreed peacifull co-existance good neighbourhood and protection of rights between the two clans2. That the two sides forgive the murder and injury cases between the two clans starting from Kalshale incident, where ambush killings were neglected,3. The future disputes and murder cases between the two clans would be dealt with accordance to Sharia law4. That two clans must not give refuge and protection to a murderer and that everybody with the right authority to deal with the issue5. From now on that every person who commits murder the responsibility must lie on him and his family where no other body will assist him.Land Agreement:1. The two sides agreed that Habar Jeclo community should settle Baliga Goble-Maqan village where Dhulbahante community will settle Hagoogane village and the land between these two villages can’t be harvested,2. In order to protect the grazing areas, the two sides agreed that it’s forbidden to establish new settlements inside the grazing land between the two clans, for instance the grazing land between Hadhhadhan and Odanle villages, Goble-magan and Hagoogane villages, Galgal and Qabri-hulul, Qori-lugud and Maygagle and Horu-fadhi & Adhi-boob villages.3. The two sides agreed that the two clans will settle together in Adhibob village.The peace accord between the two clans was signed by:1. Sultan Abdilahi Sultan Ali2. Garad Abdirizak Garad Sofe3. Boqor Mohamoud Ali Arab4. Sultan Saed Osman Ali5. Garad Sulaiman Burale Adam6. Sultan Mohamed Haji Hussein

Meanwhile the Academy for Peace and Development (APD) in collaboration with Inter-Peace organization has offered financial assistance during the course of the reconciliation conference.The Social Peace Builder officer of APD’s Buroa office Mr. Omer Adam Yusuf who arrived at the conference held separate meetings with the delegates of the two sides where he handed over $24,000 U.S Dollars of donation money to the leaders of Dhulbahante and Habar Jeclo steering committees.Sultan Abdilahi Sultan Ali who spoke at the handing over meeting thanked towards the Academy for Peace and Development for its efforts to reconcile the disputed clans.“I express my deep gratitude to Academy for Peace and Development for supporting the reconciliation conference in Odanle. I also would like to thank you (APD) for visiting the conference and meeting with us” Sultan Abdilahi said,Garad Abdirisak Garad Abdilahi Garad Sofe who also spoke at the meeting thanked APD for donating money to the conference. “We are very thankful to the Academy for Peace and Development for supporting the reconciliation conference” Garad Abdirisak stated.